


A Mother's Love

by the_writer1988



Series: A Mother's Love Universe [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Family, Hurt Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hurt/Comfort, Jedi Training, Jedi Values, Romance, Skywalker Family Feels, War, Whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2018-10-18 23:35:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10627527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_writer1988/pseuds/the_writer1988
Summary: The Council grants Obi-Wan permission to free Anakin's mother from slavery. Can Shmi's bond with her son prevent his fall to the dark side or only accelerate it? Set 1 year post TPM and beyond.





	1. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

Anakin Skywalker had yet to settle. 

His emotional attachment to his mother had made it difficult to train him to let go of his attachment. Ever since he had left his mother behind in slavery on Tatooine, the young boy had struggled to forget the one who had brought him up. He had been unable to move on with his new life and focus on the path of a Jedi. 

Anakin Skywalker was not a normal Jedi apprentice. He had not been raised in the Temple from birth. He had not been a Youngling. Instead he had been born into slavery on an outer-rim world, and by luck (or the Force) he had been discovered by a Jedi Knight who had been forced to make an emergency landing on the desert world that he had called home for the last six years of his life. 

At nine years old he had been turned down by the Council for Jedi training. It had only been because of the re-emergence of the Sith and Anakin’s exploits during the battle of Naboo that had prompted the Council to reverse its decision. The apprentice of the Jedi that had discovered Anakin had promised his dying Master to train him, and Obi-Wan Kenobi’s insistence to keep that promise had also aided in overturning the original decision. 

A year into his training Anakin Skywalker hadn’t settled despite his best efforts to do so and his Master’s help in guiding him. 

It was exactly a year to the day that Qui-Gon Jinn had been murdered in battle and Obi-Wan Kenobi had become a full Jedi Knight and taken Anakin on as his apprentice.   
Now the young Knight stood before the Jedi Council, without his Apprentice’s knowledge, for he had an idea that might help his young charge if it was granted. Though the no attachments rule would prove problematic as Obi-Wan’s idea meant that special circumstances would be created for Anakin that were not approved for anyone else which would show favouritism. 

Anakin was supposedly the Chosen One, said to bring balance to the Force. He had to be trained, there was no doubt about it, but his inability to settle had hampered his progress, and Obi-Wan was frustrated that his attempts to teach the boy non-attachment was falling on deaf ears. He considered himself a failure as a Master. 

He shouldn’t have been training Anakin. Technically, as a new Jedi Knight, he should not have taken a Padawan (and the boy wouldn’t officially be his Padawan until he was thirteen). The general rule was he should have settled into his role as a Knight for a few years before considering taking a student but Anakin had been thrust upon him by his promise to his deceased Master. He didn’t mind he had done so as the boy was incredibly gifted but as a new Knight with no experience in the field, how could he be expected to train someone adequately? 

Anakin had learned a lot in his first year, that couldn’t be denied but he felt if other issues were addressed, he would have more success in teaching the young boy, and Obi-Wan hoped the Council would consider his request and not flat-out deny it because it would be in violation of the Jedi Code. They had all sworn to the oath upon entering the Order (though most Younglings didn’t make the oath until they had been selected as a Padawan by a Knight or Master at the age of thirteen). Anakin had taken the oath two days after the Battle of Naboo though the title ‘Padawan’ wouldn’t be officially granted to him until his thirteenth birthday. 

Obi-Wan Kenobi stood in the centre of the Jedi Council chamber, taking a deep breath, composing his words to make the request he wanted. He felt certain it would be denied to him, but he had to try. 

“Knight Kenobi, a request you have of us, yes?” Yoda prompted. The small green Jedi was one of the most respected Jedi in the Order, no one could fool him. Obi-Wan had his suspicions Master Yoda already knew what he wanted to ask. 

Obi-Wan bowed to the room at large. “I do, Masters. It concerns my apprentice.” He hesitated, unsure of how to proceed; how best to phrase his request. “Anakin has been here for a year. He has… struggled to find his place. He has made a lot of progress in a short space of time but he remains out of touch with his fellow initiates, possibly due to his upbringing and his emotional attachment to his mother. I do not believe we can simply make him ignore this attachment he has. It’s doubly hard for him because he left his mother in slavery. He has told me more than once that when he is a Knight he will free her.” 

He could see several members of the Council frown upon that ambition. Jedi did not have ambition. 

“I do not blame him. It sits hard on his shoulders that while he is living a life of freedom, his mother is trapped in a dark world. His studies will always be hampered by his love for his mother and… he misses her. I believe it would be beneficial to Anakin’s training – and would greatly help him settle - if the Council freed his mother from slavery. She doesn’t have to come here, but she could be a calming influence on Anakin if she was present in his life in some way. He would have one less thing to worry about if she was no longer enslaved. His entry into the Order was unorthodox but because of this, I stand by the idea that freeing Shmi Skywalker would be beneficial to his training. I am asking the Council for permission to allow me to travel to Tatooine and to buy his mother from the Toydarian that owns her.” 

He fell silent, waiting for a response from the members of the Council. He could feel the Force permeating around him as all the Master’s thought through his proposal and the positives and negatives that would come about if they agreed. 

“Attachment is forbidden,” said Adi Gallia. “If Anakin Skywalker is indeed the Chosen One could his mother’s presence hamper his training more so than it already is? If we feed the object of his attachment we run the risk of this happening.” 

“Or,” said the softly-spoken Ki-Adi-Mundi, a Cerean Jedi Master, “it could help his progress. The Order made special circumstances for me because of the low birth rate of males of my species. I have five wives and seven children and it hasn’t hampered my ability to be a Jedi. I have remained unattached though I concede young Skywalker already has formed a lasting attachment to his mother.”

Mace conceded his point. “It is rare we grant something like this. Master Mundi’s exemption from the no attachments rule is due to factors concerning his race and the ability of it to survive. Males are needed to sustain the populace.” 

“If we agreed to this, what would happen with the boy’s mother?” Plo Koon asked, directing the question at the young Knight in the centre of the room. 

“That I do not have a definite answer for,” replied Obi-Wan steadily. “There would be several options open to us however. The first we free her and she remains on Tatooine, the second we could set her up on a Republic world with funds and allow Anakin occasional visits. Third we set her up here on Coruscant and help her get a job and allow Anakin regular visits, or the more beneficial one that I think could help my apprentice more is employ Shmi Skywalker at the Temple and continue to grant her access to her son on a very regular basis. His attachment to his mother will never be broken; he loves her too much. It would be bad if we tried to break their bond.” 

Mace Windu frowned. “Having his mother that close could turn against us.” 

“I do not believe it will. I think her presence will help soothe him, help him focus more on his studies and she will encourage him. Anakin never had the benefit of a crèche tutelage. He lacks the encouragement given to initiates at that age. Shmi Skywalker could fulfil that role. I am unable to fill this role in his training. I’m his teacher but I cannot praise him all the time… His mother could be the focus he needs to make him become the best Jedi he is capable of becoming. I am prepared to take full responsibility and any punishment the Council sees fit if I am proven wrong in my assertions Shmi Skywalker could prove a positive factor to Anakin’s training,” he finished, folding his arms across his chest and waited. It was always a good idea to mention the responsibility would fall on his shoulders.

“Full responsibility you are prepared to take, yes?” questioned Yoda, seeking further confirmation. 

Obi-Wan understood they wanted more than just banal words from him. It had to come from his heart. If Anakin’s attachment to his mother led him down a dark path he would have to be prepared to kill him. Any Master knew this and accepted that responsibility when they took a Padawan. 

Steeling himself he spoke without hesitation. “Yes, I am.” He projected his feelings into the Force, knowing full well that the Jedi Master’s seated around him would all be able to sense his commitment and promise to take up the mantle. 

His request was unorthodox and could alienate Anakin further from his fellow Jedi, but he had struggled to make friends and spent most of his free time alone. Though Anakin had told his Master he no longer cried about his mother, Obi-Wan knew that he did on a regular occurrence. He hadn’t mentioned anything to the boy because he hoped that Anakin would come to him if he felt it was becoming too much of a problem. 

But then, there was the impression that Obi-Wan had, that his young charge did not feel that he could confide his inner thoughts with him. They had forged a Master-Padawan bond but it wasn’t _strong_ or _full of trust_ as a bond should be like. 

Obi-Wan, after all, was not the Jedi Anakin wanted to train him. Qui-Gon should have been the one to train him but his death had halted that desire and Obi-Wan had been willing to take him on as his apprentice. No one else would have done and if not, they’d have sent him back to Tatooine and probably back into enslavement.

The Council members were trading glances as Obi-Wan continued to stand in the centre of the chamber. He could feel curiosity in the Force. There were some Masters on the Council, he could feel who were willing to give Anakin the benefit of the doubt and allow him access to his mother. There were others that felt it would violate the Jedi code. 

But in the end the final decision was up to Mace Windu. He and Yoda shared collective responsibility for the Order but Mace was the one who had agreed to Anakin’s training in the first place after Qui-Gon’s death… he had the authority to make this decision regarding Obi-Wan’s request. 

“I do not like this,” began Mace, “but you have indicated you would take responsibility for everything. It would be on your own head.” 

“I wouldn’t have agreed if I wasn’t prepared to admit any responsibility in Anakin’s future actions,” answered Obi-Wan truthfully. “I am the one responsible for his training. I cannot wiggle myself out of this.”

Mace leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands together in front of him. There was a hard look on his face. “Very well. We will grant your request. You may travel to Tatooine – without your apprentice – and free Shmi Skywalker from slavery. We will give you the necessary funds that should cover her worth to her owner. You will bring her here and we will employ her as Temple staff but she will live in the city, and Skywalker will not be allowed to live with her.” 

“Yes, Master.” Obi-Wan bowed. They had granted his request, albeit grudgingly; it was up to him to prove to them they were making the right decision. 

\- - - - -

**Mos Espa, Tatooine**

Dressed in a simple poncho which was draped over his Jedi garments Obi-Wan walked into Mos Espa. He had parked the small star-ship in a landing bay in the space port.   
He was not anticipating freeing Shmi would be easy. He had ensured that he had the correct currency, having remembered Qui-Gon had been unable to buy the Hyperdrive part they had required from Watto before with Republic credits. He didn’t know whether he had enough to buy her freedom but he had been assured someone of Shmi’s age would not be worth much, but just in case Watto drove a hard bargain, he had bought along enough to compensate for that. The money had come from the Jedi Council’s funds, something they had not been too keen on allowing him access to, but they had reluctantly agreed. Since Obi-Wan was not paid money in his role of a Jedi, he could not fund Shmi’s fee himself. 

Watto’s shop, Obi-Wan noted, was fairly small compared to a lot of the other businesses scattered around in the main street. It had a pointed roof which resembled that of a Toydarian home on their home world.

_Anakin’s former master clearly wanted his home comforts…_

Obi-Wan walked into the shop, his keen eyes searching around him and taking in every detail. For a small shop, there was a lot stacked into it. The Toydarian was nowhere in sight, however there was a middle-aged woman standing behind the counter, her curious brown eyes watching him as he moved towards her. She wore slave’s garb and there was a sad loneliness evident in her eyes. 

This was Shmi Skywalker, the mother of Anakin, and she missed her son terribly. Obi-Wan could sense it in the Force. 

“Can I help you?” she asked, her voice soft. 

He gave her a gentle smile. “I need to speak to your master regarding a matter that only he can deal with. Would it be possible to talk to him now?”

“I will find him for you,” she answered. “Please wait here.” She left the main shop and moved out into the Junk Yard leaving Obi-Wan alone to his thoughts. 

This was a woman who terribly missed her son, who was living a life that was not fulfilling for her. He could tell by the aura around her that she was suffering from nightmares, whilst trying not to worry for her son, which was undoubtedly the crux of her nightmarish dreams. She was desperately lonely with nothing to live for apart from the hope one day she would see her son again. No one deserved the life of a slave but she had been unfortunate in her life to have been made one, though he didn’t know the full details. She could have been born a slave.

He was bought out of his thoughts when Shmi returned a few minutes later, preceded by a blue Toydarian, who immediately flew in front of Obi-Wan. 

“Ah, a tourist!” the gutty sound rasped forth from the Toydarian’s mouth. “What can I get ya?”

Obi-Wan decided to be blunt. “I want to buy your slave from you.” From his pocket he withdrew the local currency and placed an amount on the counter. “10,000 Tatooine credits.” 

Watto flew back in surprise. “You what?” 

Shmi had maintained a calm composure throughout the small exchange but Obi-Wan had sensed her anxiety heighten that if she was taken away from this place then Anakin would never see her again, or find her. 

“I want to buy your slave from you,” he repeated. He put his hand into his pouch once more and withdrew another smaller bag filled with money. “20,000 Tatooine credits.” Shmi wasn’t even worth much due to her age but he understood the Toydarian dealer would not willingly part with his only slave. “You know how much she is worth, included in what I am prepared to pay for her, are expenses you would miss out on without her help, plus,” he pulled out another pouch, “another 10,000 credits on top of that to allow you to hire or – if you must – buy another slave.” He hated the idea of suggesting to the slave owner to buy another one but he had to make himself look authentic and not for Watto to suspect he was a Jedi. If he discovered he was a Jedi he could potentially keep Shmi until Obi-Wan paid up a lot more money than he had on him. 

“Why woulda tourist want a slave?” demanded Watto. 

Obi-Wan smirked. “I’m not a tourist, rather a profiteer in older slaves.” Another lie but one he hoped would make Watto release Shmi to Obi-Wan. 

“A profit in older slaves?” laughed the Toydarian. “There’s no market out there for them!” 

“If you believe that then you won’t mind selling her to me. 35,000 credits. That is my final offer.” What he was offering for Shmi was the price of a slave at full health at the age of sixteen, the primary age to be a slave and worth the most. Surely Watto couldn’t turn that down to keep a middle-aged woman? 

“You are offering more than I would expect to receive…” started Watto. 

“If you want less money for your slave…” Obi-Wan began. 

“No!” Watto was quick to backtrack. “35,000 is the fee I will accept. It’s your loss… you won’t make much money from her. I win.” 

Obi-Wan merely smiled. If only the slaver knew exactly what fate entailed for Shmi Skywalker. 

“I have no use for depressed slaves that are barely able to work in an adequate manner,” Watto continued harshly. “She hasn’t been the same since that boy of hers was taken by that Jedi a year ago. If you find use for her, I want to know … just to see how much profit you’ve lost in paying this much for her.” The Toydarian flew to some cabinets he had stored at the top of his shop, bringing down a bunch of papers. He laid them out on the counter. The papers consisted of the ownership forms for Shmi Skywalker, as well as the deactivator that controlled the chip that Watto had implanted in both Anakin and his mother when he had won them. Watto filled out the transferral form for slave ownership to Obi-Wan before passing the pen over to the Jedi who signed his name, thereby becoming the official owner of Shmi. 

“I want you to deactivate her chip.” 

“It was done a few months ago,” admitted Watto. “I thought she’d run away after her boy left. I’d rather not deal with the _legal_ matters that her messy death would have caused if she had gone out of range of the transmitter.”

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow but chose not to comment. He picked up the papers and folded them up, slipping them into a pocket underneath his poncho. “Time to leave,” he said. “It was good doing business with you, Watto.” 

“My pleasure…” The Toydarian was already fingering the stack of coins that Obi-Wan had given him as payment. He was far more interested in the money then his former slave’s departure. 

Obi-Wan fixed Shmi with a cold, hard stare – just for pretence in case Watto decided to take back his slave. “Come. You have work to do for me.” He hated how he had to treat her just for a few moments. “You can pick up your stuff from your quarters on the way back to my ship.” 

Shmi nodded numbly. They departed from the shop. 

\- - - - -

There was something strange about the man that had just convinced Watto to sell her. She was certain he wasn’t a slave trader either. She couldn’t place why but there was something about him that told her he was here for a completely different reason. 

He trailed a few steps behind her as they walked through the marketplace of Mos Espa to the slave quarters. Reaching her quarters, Shmi palmed open the door and walked inside, her new owner following behind her. 

“You know I’m not who I appear to be…” he said before the door had even closed. 

Shmi turned to face him. “Yes, I do, but I can’t place you or fathom out why you paid that amount of money for me.” 

The man smiled at her. He had a nice smile hidden by an auburn beard and his blue-grey eyes sparkled. “Your son is worth it.” 

“My son?” Shmi was breathless. Did this man know her son? How did he? And then her eyes flickered downward and through a gap at the bottom of his poncho she spied his lightsaber. “You’re a Jedi?” 

He nodded. “I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Knight. I am training your son.” 

Her son was going to be a Jedi! She felt elevated by knowing for sure that was what her son was doing. And this man was training him… but then she realised… “What about Qui-Gon Jinn? He said he’d train him.” 

Obi-Wan bowed his head. “Qui-Gon died shortly after he freed Anakin. He was my Master and I promised him I’d train Anakin.” 

Shmi’s heart nearly broke. Qui-Gon had been so kind. He had tried to free her as well but he’d only succeeded in obtaining freedom for her son: the one who deserved it most. She had stayed behind, her heart falling to pieces at allowing her son to leave. But it had been his destiny. He wasn’t meant to remain a slave for the rest of his life. “I’m sorry. He was a good man.” 

A slight smile tugged at his lips. “He was. He taught me everything that I know.” He fell silent, obviously lost in memories. 

Shmi bit her lip. What to do now? She was free – well she assumed she was… 

“You are,” the Jedi answered. “I’m freeing you. I’m taking you back to Coruscant with me. The Jedi Council have agreed to employ you in the Temple. You’ll be paid a wage and provided with a home. You and Anakin can remain in touch – his Jedi training is too important for him to live with you, but you’ll be allowed to have contact with him, which other young Jedi Initiates do not have with their families. Anakin has unusual circumstances and the Council have agreed to bend the rules a little.” He shifted on his feet, obviously feeling a little uncomfortable with what he was about to reveal. “I hope your presence will mean Anakin can settle down and really focus on his studies. He’s doing well but he has a focus to free you and that’s not healthy for a Jedi to have. If you are given your freedom but have a presence in his life, you might give him the stability he needs to become the great Jedi he can and will be.”

Shmi hesitated. “I’m not sure I should go… My place is here.” 

Obi-Wan shook his head. “No, it isn’t. You place is where your heart is, and you heart resides with your son.” 

He was right, she knew that. “Is he really alright? Does he know you’ve come here?”

“No, he doesn’t. All Anakin knows is I have gone on an errand at the behest of the Council. He’s back on Coruscant, hopefully studying hard, when he’s not busy sneaking out the Temple at odd hours of the night.” He rolled his eyes. Anakin had a habit of leaving the Temple resulting in much frustration for his Master who was a stickler for rules, but he couldn’t help smiling all the same. 

“Anakin was always a very inquisitive child. I’m not surprised he’s exploring at every opportunity,” said Shmi, feeling more at ease around this man, as she gradually began to pack up the few belongings she had been allowed to own. 

The Jedi laughed. “The amount of times I’ve had to chase after him… it doesn’t make me look like a good Master.” He glanced around the hovel that Shmi called home. “I’ll make sure you get a nice spacious apartment on Coruscant. You deserve your freedom as much as Anakin. Everyone who is a slave does…” he sighed, “but I can’t free all of them. And the Jedi can’t just go around paying to free everyone either.” 

“I was unlucky,” began Shmi hesitantly. “Has Anakin ever told you how I came to be a slave?” 

Obi-Wan shook his head. “No, he hasn’t. He’s very tight-lipped about his past which is problematic… A Jedi and his Padawan are meant to be completely open with one another. It’s how we learn… I have sensed Anakin holding things back, and I have asked, but I respect him too much to push the issue… To force him to relieve a life that he finds quite sensitive would be irresponsible of me as his Master.” 

Shmi could understand that. Her son had, had the chance to move away from his life of slavery. Why would he want to relieve it? She couldn’t understand why this man would need to know about Anakin’s past but she wouldn’t press the issue. She was volunteering her own history to him instead. Perhaps that might help him understand why it was such a sensitive topic to Anakin? 

“I was very young when my father and mother and my older sister and younger brother left our home. I don’t even know what planet it was. I remember dad saying he wanted to travel the stars so he made enough money to purchase a ship and we left. I can’t recall where we were en-route to but we got pulled out of hyperspace and attacked by pirates. They separated and sold us to different bidders. I was six years old. I can barely remember my family. I’m forty-one years old now. It’s been thirty-four years since I last saw them.” 

Obi-Wan felt sadness well up. Shmi missed her family despite barely remembering them. A part of him wanted to promise her he would help her find them, but he was already doing too much of what was permitted of him by freeing her and allowing her to be with her son. 

“I have been sold several times in my life. Some Masters have been kind to me, others not so kind. I was nearly freed once but my Master died before she could release me and I was sold on. I didn’t have much to live for until Ani came into my life. I still don’t know how it happened. I have never asked questions how he came to be but I’m glad he did because he made my life living as a slave bearable.” She wiped a tear away from her cheek. 

“And now you are free to see him again,” answered Obi-Wan. “I don’t know how Anakin came to be. Qui-Gon didn’t mention much but he did have a theory. I know there was no father involved. Anakin is very strong in the Force. He is one of our most powerful Padawan learners. That suggests he was conceived by the Will of the Force. This is just a theory and we cannot prove it. There is no denying his potential and the power he has. I sense no deceit in you. To your mind you should not have fallen pregnant… whatever happened chose you to be the bearer of …. a powerful Jedi.” He had nearly said ‘the Chosen One’ but Shmi was not ready to hear her son had a special destiny. In hindsight, they should not have told Anakin that he was the Chosen One as that had put too much pressure upon him to succeed. And that was hampering him. Perhaps Shmi’s presence would help him in that way too. 

“I won’t be long,” said Shmi. “I haven’t got many belongings.” 

Obi-Wan nodded and let her gather her things. 

“Oh, by the way, is there room for a protocol droid?” 

Obi-Wan sat up straight. “A what?” 

“A protocol droid. Ani was building him before he left… he works. I’d like to bring him with me if it’s possible,” said Shmi. 

Curiosity overcame him and Obi-Wan walked into the small room that Shmi had just entered. Leaning against a wall was a droid which had no coverings on. It was naked but appeared to be in working order. “Anakin built this?” He mused. “He has mentioned to me a few times he had built a droid.” He couldn’t very well say no to Shmi. “I’ll have to rent out a holder for it. I don’t want to damage the droid by having it walk through the sand.” 

“Is your ship far?”

“At the space port. Unlike last time we were here, we’re not hiding anything which meant we had to land outside the city.” 

“You were hiding something?” Shmi’s curiosity rose. She had no idea of the true nature of why Qui-Gon Jinn had come to this planet in the first place. 

“By that I mean we were protecting someone of vital importance. I was left behind to protect her which is why you didn’t meet me before. I was quite shocked that my Master had brought Anakin with him. It wasn’t something I had expected but I’m very glad he did. Without Anakin, we wouldn’t have won the Battle of Naboo.” He knew instantly that he had something wrong by the expression that crossed Shmi’s face. 

“A battle? My son was involved in a battle?” 

Obi-Wan grimaced, shuffling up his face. “I think its best if I left that particular story up to Anakin to tell when you see him. You needn’t worry. He excelled brilliantly at what he did. He saved a planet, you should be proud.” 

“I am. I am very proud of my son,” she answered. “I hope when I see him again…” She couldn’t finish her sentence and Obi-Wan didn’t know what to do. Awkwardly he moved forward and pulled her into a hug. This was too much for Shmi Skywalker. The prospect of freedom and seeing her son again was simply too much to process in one go. 

“Why don’t you go and sit down? I’ll get everything ready here,” he said kindly. 

She didn’t bother trying to talk him out of it so she left the room and took a seat at the table in the next room over, trying to dry her eyes. 

Obi-Wan gathered what he could and made sure that nothing was left behind when he took Shmi away from the slave quarters forever. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Shmi Skywalker had never believed that she would find her freedom. After thirty-four years of slavery the hope of being freed had dwindled. She had never expected the Jedi to come to them a year ago and free her son. He had even tried to free her. Qui-Gon. She could remember his kind manner and how he had taken such an interest in the welfare of her son. He had helped to free him… had even tried to free her but failed. It had taken all of her strength to let her son go and tell him not to look back. 

Not once had she ever expected the Jedi to return for her. But they had. They had come to free her and reunite her with her son. She had resigned herself to never seeing him again. It felt strange to her that within a matter of days they would be reunited. 

Once they had made the jump to hyperspace leaving Tatooine behind forever, Shmi busied herself in the gantry, making a dinner for herself and the Jedi. She didn’t even know what he liked but she found a few pre-packaged meals in the refrigerator that she cooked up, and then added a side order of salad to it, before taking the meal out to the Jedi in the cockpit on a tray. 

“I don’t know if you were hungry or not but I made some food,” she offered him the tray which he took gratefully. 

“You didn’t have to,” he said. “You’ve done enough serving in your life. I should have done this for you.” He took a bite of the steak swathed in brown sauce. “Mmm, very nice.” 

Shmi glanced out of her cockpit screen to see the blue-white streaks of hyperspace. She hadn’t seen anything so pretty before. The few times she had been on a space-ship during her slavery, she had never seen the stars, instead confined to a holding area or the slave quarters. She remembered the first time she had been to the stars and what had happened on that occasion… “Do you have a family, Master Jedi?” 

The Jedi was silent for a moment, chewing through his food, before leaning back in his chair. “Please, call me Obi-Wan. I’m not your Master and never will be. As soon as we get to Coruscant I am having that detonation device removed from you. You are a free woman, Miss Skywalker.” 

In her years as a slave she had never been met with so much kindness. It seemed almost foreign to her. “My name is Shmi. If I call you Obi-Wan, you can call me Shmi.” 

“Very well, Shmi,” he acknowledged with a smile. “As for your question about my family… I do have a family but I don’t know them. My family to me is the Jedi. Force sensitive children are given to the order by the permission of their parents when they are young, before they can become attached to them. There have been a few rare cases where there is an exception: Anakin is one of them. He was too old to enter the Jedi Order and begin his training however circumstances dictated that he be trained. I was identified as a Force-potential when I was a few months old. My parents chose to give me to the Jedi. I have no memory of them. When a Jedi apprentice becomes a Knight they have the choice to find their family and go to see them. Many choose not to. I was one of them. I know what my planet of origin is but other than that I have no knowledge of my family.” 

“You have no desire to know?” she pressed. She couldn’t imagine not having a family. For most of her life she hadn’t had a family until Anakin had come along. Through her years of slavery she had missed the family she barely remembered. Since Anakin had left her, she had started to wonder if her own family was still alive and where they were. 

“You’d like to find them wouldn’t you?” 

It was if he had read her mind. “I’d like to know if my parents are safe and if they managed to escape at all. The same with my brother and sister.” She knew she’d had siblings. “Do you think there is a way to trace them?” 

Obi-Wan frowned. “The Jedi don’t usually have contacts in the slave trade. It is possible we could trace them… I don’t know if the Council would sanction such a mission as it could even take years to do so. I was lucky that they allowed me to free you. I can talk to the Council on your behalf if you’d like.” 

“No,” Shmi refused, “I’m sure there must be other ways that can help me trace them without your Council needing to help. They’ve done enough for me already. Obi-Wan, will I get to thank them?”

“I would assume they would want to meet you since we have agreed to give you a job working at the Temple,” he answered. “When we arrive at Coruscant, I will head straight for the Jedi Temple. I will report to the Council and providing my Padawan hasn’t got into too much trouble during my absence,” he allowed a wry grin to cross his face, “then I will arrange a meeting for you two. I will also request the Council to grant you and Anakin some time to yourselves so you can reacquaint yourselves. I suspect that you will be allowed to remain in the Jedi Temple for a few days until we can sort out accommodation for you, unless it has been done during my absence.” 

“Thank you,” she smiled. 

“It won’t be long now,” he reassured her. “Half a day’s travel and we’ll be at Coruscant. I’m pushing the ship at its fastest capability. Normally it should take us nearly two days to get home. That’s how long it took me to travel to Tatooine. My instructions from the Council were to make it look like I’d been away so Anakin wouldn’t figure out where I’ve been. He’s very good at piecing together where my assignments have led me before I’ve even told him.” 

“Has he not accompanied you on them?” asked Shmi curiously. 

“No, he hasn’t. Anakin is too young to go on missions. When he is thirteen he will accompany me. It is that age he will officially become my Padawan. At the moment he is the only Apprentice who has a given Master which again is very unusual,” explained Obi-Wan. “Your son would be better for you to talk to these things about. And it will give you both something to discuss. I’m sure Anakin will tell you in great detail what has happened this past year.” 

She thought it was a good idea. She didn’t know this man very well other than that she sensed he cared a lot for her son and that he seemed kind and wise for someone so young.   
“If you’re tired, there is a cabin just down the corridor that you can rest in. When we arrive it will be the morning; it might be quite a busy day for you. Also, a set of new clothes are on the bed and there is a refresher for you to use if you’d like,” said Obi-Wan. “I’m not forcing you to do this if you don’t want to.” 

Shmi couldn’t help but smile. “I’m not used to kindness. It is a foreign feeling for me. It won’t properly hit me I’m free for a while yet. You do own me though. You signed the forms taking care of my ownership. I’ve become so used to being property and not my own person that to suddenly be told that I have this is odd.” 

“Anakin was like that for the first few weeks. He thought when he didn’t get things right that I’d beat him. He was scared of making mistakes. It took a while for him to realise that I would never hit him. I was concerned at first since he never has really spoken to me about his slavery,” said Obi-Wan. “But as he got used to his own freedom he…” 

“Went out exploring?” guessed Shmi, smiling. Her son had always been inquisitive, had always wanted to know and see everything. And the Jedi had already mentioned it back in the slave quarters…

“How did you know?” teased Obi-Wan. He very well knew he had informed her of her son’s tenuously to disobey orders.

“Whenever he could he made sure he explored all of Mos Espa. It was the furthest he could go without the transmitter activating. The only times it was turned off was when he was podracing.” Shmi reminisced. “Does he sneak out of the Temple often?”

Obi-Wan laughed, tilting his head back against the seat. “Yes, he does. It gets me in a lot of trouble with the Council which isn’t really fair on me but I don’t blame Anakin wanting to be free. He didn’t have the upbringing I did. I’ve worked all my life to be a Jedi, but he worked to be free and he deserves to live it. At the same time he has devoted his life to become a Jedi and there are rules he has to obey. My own reputation as a Jedi hinges upon Anakin’s ability to listen to my teachings.” He placed the food tray on the console next to him and crossed his legs, fixing Shmi with a look. “I hope you will be able to install some sense of responsibility in him since I appear to lack that particular aspect.”

“I think you will find that Ani is his own person,” joked Shmi. She hadn’t felt this alive in over a year. It was good to smile and laugh again. Good to feel that she had freedom. Freedom to do as she pleased. Then a thought struck her. “If I’m free, when will I start this job?” It felt strange that she would work and get paid for her endeavours when she had never had that luxury before. 

“Not until you’ve settled in,” answered Obi-Wan. “I will be recommending at least a month before you join our staff.” 

“And what will I mainly be doing?” 

Obi-Wan shrugged. “That I do not know. There are a variety of jobs the Council could offer you. The Jedi Temple is one of the few intuitions that do not employ droids to do cleaning or cooking. We have a good staff on rota which you will share duties with. They will probably vary from week to week. If you’re handy with mechanical work we could even offer you a mechanics apprenticeship in the Jedi Hanger. It all depends really on what you are best at.” 

Shmi fell silent. She was good at many things. She had a few mechanical skills that she had learnt from her time with Watto, but she knew domestics very well, having been sold as a house servant in the early years of her enslavement. That she knew would suit her best. She felt weary suddenly as if everything that had happened to her was finally catching up on her. The adrenaline she had been running on since she had been sold to Obi-Wan seemed to be diminishing. Perhaps having a nap wouldn’t be such a bad idea? She stood from her chair and took her tray and Obi-Wan’s back to the pantry. Not knowing what to do with them she proceeded to look through the cupboards, trying to find a disposal unit. 

“Here,” Obi-Wan took her arms in a loose grip. “Don’t worry, I’ll do it. It’s fine. Go and rest. You need it.” 

“Thank you,” smiled Shmi. Retreating from the pantry, Shmi found the cabin Obi-Wan had mentioned and immediately flopped down on the bed and slept. 

\- - - - -

Shmi returned to the cockpit just minutes before they were due to arrive at Coruscant. She settled herself into the co-pilots chair and watched as Obi-Wan worked to bring the ship out of hyperspace. Shmi’s eyes widened when she saw the planet that was now home to her son. From afar it sparkled in space… filled with brown, black, white and orange lights, signalling night and day. 

“It’s an entire city…” she breathed. She had heard about the planet over the years, the beauty that it presented as heart of the Republic, but never had she thought she would see it like she was now. 

Obi-Wan grinned, watching his companion’s awe spread across her face. “Wait till you are on the planet…” He reached forward and started to broadcast his signal, confirming that he was a Jedi Knight requiring a route to the Jedi Temple. The main spaceport on Coruscant quickly gave him co-ordinates and Obi-Wan directed the transport into a space lane, descending through the planet’s atmosphere and into the early morning of Coruscant. 

Shmi barely said a word as he flew the ship, her eyes roaming out the viewport at the city. He watched as her eyes widened at the tall towers, the sparkling fountain that was visible in the Senate District, and then her eyes fixing upon the Temple… “Is that….?” she started to say. 

“Yes,” nodded Obi-Wan, “that is the Jedi Temple, where your son is.” Tentatively he reached into the Force, feeling for the Master-Padawan bond, searching for the strong presence of Anakin. He found him. At this time of day the boy would be in classes so would be unable to greet him in the hanger, which was fine by Obi-Wan. He wanted Anakin to be informed about his mother in private, not be surprised to see her as she walked out of the ship. He sent a quick message to the Council, informing them that he was returning with Shmi. 

The Jedi Temple Hanger loomed in front of them, the doors wide open allowing him to fly straight in and head towards his designated landing zone. He lowered the ship to the pad and switched off all systems. Turning to Shmi, he smiled. “We’re here.” He could feel Shmi’s nervousness in the Force. “You don’t need to be worried.” 

“Who says I’m worried?” she laughed nervously. 

Obi-Wan descended the ramp into the hanger where he saw Masters Mace Windu and Yoda waiting for him. 

“Obi-Wan,” greeted Mace. 

“Masters,” Obi-Wan bowed and then turned towards Shmi who was standing at the bottom of the ramp behind him and he indicated for her to come forward. “This is Shmi Skywalker.” 

“Hello,” she sounded quite fearful. 

“They’re not scary,” grinned Obi-Wan. 

A calm and serene smile spread across Mace Windu’s face. “You do not have anything to fear from us. Welcome to the Jedi Temple, Shmi Skywalker. I am Mace Windu and this is Yoda. We collectively run the Jedi Order.” 

“Thank you for the welcome,” she said, unsure of how to respond to them. She found her eyes drawn to Yoda. The small, green Jedi… she didn’t know what to think of him. 

“Masters,” began Obi-Wan, “with your permission I’d like to take Shmi to the Healers to have her slave deactivator removed. Also I would like to inform Anakin of his mother’s presence here.”

“We thought as much. We have already arranged for young Skywalker to finish his classes early and have the rest of the day off. He will be in your quarters in about half an hour,” said Windu. 

“Have the rest of the week off, he will, catch up he can,” gibbered Yoda. “Report to the Council this evening you will.” 

“An apartment has been purchased by the Order on your behalf,” Mace explained to Shmi. “For the next year the Order will front the fees for the apartment so you may build up some money of your own. After that we will limit the use of what money we can give you. This situation is uncommon but it is all we can offer you. The pay here is very generous. A year’s work will help you on a starting point.”

“I don’t know what to say…” Shmi swallowed. 

“Be happy and grateful, enjoy your life as it was meant to be,” said Yoda. 

“I will try,” she responded. 

Obi-Wan made another bow to the two Jedi and then guided her away from the hanger and into the halls of the Temple. 

\- - - - -

Anakin Skywalker frowned. 

When his Master had made contact with him through the Force he was sure he had felt another presence with him. A similar presence that he had missed so much… Obi-Wan had closed off before Anakin could identify the source of the presence and who it belonged to. It felt so familiar… but he couldn’t place it. 

Though he had been training to be a Jedi for just over a year now, he wasn’t as apt as some apprentices at detecting presences in the Force. They’d had years of training and he was still trying to catch up on the techniques he should know by his age. He could identify Obi-Wan’s distinct presence in the Force, and apart from a few other Jedi, could not sense much else, though he was surrounded constantly by the surrounding power of the light side. 

But he felt that he knew that presence… 

He shook his head. Don’t dwell on it, Anakin. You need to concentrate. You can’t stay behind forever. His classes for the day had finished – or rather he had been excused from them for the rest of the day – and was now waiting back in his and Obi-Wan’s rooms. He was trying to do some of the homework he was in need of catching up on, but the familiar presence he had felt in his mind was distracting him. 

Obi-Wan was back in the Temple but he hadn’t arrived at the quarters yet. Anakin ground his teeth in frustration. What is taking you so long, Master? 

“I felt that, my young Padawan.” 

Anakin glanced up, having not noticed the door to their quarter’s slide open and Obi-Wan walk in. His Master was leaning against the door frame, dressed in his usual attire, but was carrying a poncho over one arm. 

“Master!” Anakin cried out. “Where have you been?” 

Obi-Wan chuckled. “Can’t you work it out? You’re good at knowing where I’ve gone before I’ve even come back.” 

“Master…” 

“I won’t be so cruel to play this game with you today. You’re probably wondering why you have the rest of the day off classes...oh and the week too…”

Anakin’s mouth fell open. “What? I have the whole week off?” His mind whirled. The Jedi Council never granted that to Padawans unless they were embarking on a mission… And then a thought struck… “Am I going on a mission?” 

“No…” grinned Obi-Wan as he walked across the living area towards the kitchen they shared. He filled up a glass of water and took a sip. “Something better…” 

“Has it something to do with that presence I felt?” Anakin asked. It had to be. Why was it so familiar to him? 

“What do you sense about this presence?” question Obi-Wan. 

“Is this going to be another lecture, Master?” Anakin groaned. 

A sly smile appeared on his Master’s lips. “Not if you don’t want it too…” 

Anakin closed his eyes and allowed himself to flow into the Force, searching for the familiar presence. He located it in the eastern block of the Temple. The presence was filled with love and happiness… the love was strong for someone… For me, he realised… And then his eyes widened as he understood why the presence had affected him so much.   
“Mum?” he choked out. He locked his gaze with Obi-Wan, scrambling out of his chair as he did so. “That’s my mum!” 

“It is.” Obi-Wan rejoiced in the sense he was getting from Anakin. 

“How?” Anakin was flabbergasted. 

“I freed her,” stated Obi-Wan. “I requested to the Council to free your mother. They agreed and I travelled to Tatooine to make sure that it happened. Then I bought her here.” 

Anakin couldn’t believe it. His mother was here. Was in the Jedi Temple. The last time he had seen her she had let him go… had told him to ‘be strong and don’t look back. Don’t look back.’ He swallowed. “You freed her? Why?” 

Obi-Wan hesitated, debating on how much to tell the young boy. “I did it for you, Anakin.” 

“But attachment is forbidden…” reiterated Anakin, remembering the many times Obi-Wan had installed in him to not think or dwell on his mother over the past year. “You’ve said that…” 

“Are you trying to get out of seeing your mother?” Obi-Wan put on a stern expression as best he could, but he couldn’t keep his eyes from dancing at the sight of his Padawan’s euphoria and realising that his mother was in the Temple. 

“NO!” Anakin gasped. “How could you think that? Of course I want to see her!” And then the questions started. “When can I see her? It has to be now, can’t it? Where is she staying? How long will she be here for?” He was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, his blue eyes shining in happiness. The Force surrounding the Chosen One was so bright at that moment. 

Obi-Wan chuckled. “You will see her shortly. I’m sure she will explain everything to you then.” He sat down in the armchair. “But first, my young Padawan, why don’t you tell me what you’ve been up to while I’ve been away?” 

“Do I have to? Can’t I see my mother?” Anakin already knew the answer, and he knew he sounded like an impatient child. He had never really been good at controlling his patience once he had started his Jedi training. He knew it was a fault of his and he was trying to control it… but this was his mother…. How could Obi-Wan keep him from her now that he knew she was here? 

Obi-Wan sighed, raising a hand over his eyes. “Anakin. You can’t see your mother because presently she is having her slave transmitter removed. Remember how you had yours removed after you became my apprentice?” 

Anakin nodded. It hadn’t been a long procedure, just long enough to last an hour or so. “Can I see her after that?” 

“Yes, providing of course you have done well during my absence.” 

The tone of Obi-Wan’s voice told Anakin that no matter what he said he would still get to see his mother. He settled for the truth which was what his Master wanted to hear. He had worked hard during the few days Obi-Wan had been away. He hadn’t slipped off to explore. Something had told him to concentrate on his work. Now the young boy wondered if the Force had been telling him to keep at it because his mother was coming…? 

Anakin walked back over to his own chair and picked up the book and pieces if flimsy he had been using to write on and passed them to his Master. “I’ve nearly caught up. And I’ve done the homework set for this week so far too.” 

“Good.” His Master smiled after reading through Anakin’s work. “Then, when I have word from Bant that the procedure is completed, I will take you to see your mother.” 

**To be continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be posting every few days from now on. I simply just forgot to update this fic... My apologies. i have no excuse, especially since this fic is already completed.


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin reunites with his mother...

**Chapter 3**

Bouncing with excitement but filled with nervous energy, Anakin walked through the halls of the Jedi Temple. He was going to see his mother! He couldn’t believe it! She was here! In the year that he had been at the Temple, he had missed her, thought of her every day and he had vowed to free her. Every night before he went to bed he made that promise; the promise giving him strength to do what was necessary, to carry on and live his life, knowing that he would free her one day. 

But now he didn’t have to think of his mother trapped in slavery. Obi-Wan had thought of him; had requested the Council to help him free her. And they had agreed. I will do something special for Master Obi-Wan to thank him. 

His mother had been given a temporary room in the Master’s wing, an area of the Jedi Temple not permitted to Padawan’s or Knights but Anakin had special permission to visit. She had been placed there since the Council had yet to make it public that Anakin would be allowed to have an attachment. Currently they were debating how best to handle the situation, so they were keeping Shmi Skywalker’s presence a secret until a decision had been reached. Obi-Wan had told him to expect a decision later that day. 

As he reached the imposing, decorative, wooden brown doorway leading to the Master’s wing, Anakin rummaged in his pocket for the security pass he had been given and swiped it past the data-pad embedded in the wall. He would have to return the card later but it was his only way of gaining access to see his mother. The Council had given Obi-Wan the card, instructing him to tell his Padawan that he was to visit during classes to lessen the risk of him being seen entering an area of the Temple that he was strictly not allowed to visit. Only his special circumstances were allowing him this privilege. 

His heart was pounding beneath his ribs and he felt suddenly afraid. What if his mother wasn’t as he remembered her? 

_Don’t be silly! It’s only been a year!_ He berated himself. 

The door slid open and he stepped through into the brightly lit corridor. Along the walls were holograms of previous Council Masters, a remembrance to those that had served the Order. His legs felt like jelly as he continued to wander down the hallway, his stomach churning in anticipation. Any other time he would have enjoyed stepping into forbidden territory but now his mind was whirling with thoughts about his mother; he wasn’t that interested in his surroundings, or seeing the beauty and magnificence of the hallway.   
He stopped outside the quarters his mother had been assigned. One of the Masters was off on a mission and had offered her the use of it as they knew she wouldn’t be there for long. It was only for a few days while the other Masters arranged accommodation for her. 

Anakin swallowed, nervously. Why did he feel like this? What could have changed? Was it because he hadn’t seen her for over a year that he was afraid she wouldn’t be what he remembered her to be like? Stop it. He was allowing his fears to get in the way of his rationality. Get over it, Anakin. She will be the same as she was the last time I saw her, but free. Free to live her life. 

Summoning his courage, Anakin palmed the door and it slid open, stepping inside and towards the reunion he thought he would never have this quickly. 

\- - - - -

When the door slid open and a young boy stood there staring at her with wide blue eyes, Shmi could hardly believe it. 

Her son. 

Her Ani.

He looked so different. No longer did he have the long hair that had fallen across his face a year ago, but instead it had been cropped short and a small braid run down from behind his right ear. He had grown too, probably a half a head taller than he had been. His features had slightly matured, giving him less of a round puppy-face look. 

He just stood there, his eyes drinking in her face. 

“Ani?” she whispered. 

“Mum?” he said softly. 

And then suddenly he was running towards her and his arms were around her as she bent down to hug him. She pulled him tight, just relishing this moment hardly daring to breathe in case she woke up and her freedom had all been a dream. She kissed the top of his head, brushing her hand through his short hair; her fingers entwining in his Padawan braid before she finally let him go and leaned back a bit to get a good long look at him. 

“My son… You’ve grown.” 

“Not much,” he replied. “I’m still short.” 

“Oh Ani, I missed you,” she hugged him again. 

“I did too,” he answered, returning the hug. “I can’t believe you are here!” 

Shmi leaned back. “I can’t either. I’m here to stay Ani.” 

“What do you mean? Jedi aren’t allowed contact with their families,” explained Anakin. He was afraid that he wouldn’t see her again after this week. He knew the reason he had been given a week off lessons was because of his mother’s arrival… 

“Obi-Wan told me that they are making an exception for you.” 

Anakin was shocked to hear that. The few times he had appeared in front of the Council he had always had the distinct impression that they didn’t like him… that they tolerated him in their Order because he was the fabled Chosen One of prophecy. “But why?” 

Shmi hesitated. “I don’t know exactly why. Obi-Wan told me that he hopes me being here will help you in your training. That I might give you the stability you need to become a really great Jedi.” She brushed his cheek with her fingers. “Are you not settled?” 

“Of course I am!” he replied hastily, then bit his lip in shame. “Well… I think I am.” 

Of course, Anakin was too young to realise if he wasn’t coping well. Obviously his Jedi Master had realised this and sought help. She was here for this. To help her son. “You can settle in now because I am here to stay. I am not going back to Tatooine.” 

“Where will you go?” asked her son. 

Shmi smiled. “I have a job, Ani. Here, in the Temple.” 

“What? Really?” 

It was the last thing he had expected on hearing, Shmi knew that. She smiled and stroked the side of his head. “Yes, I am. They’ve even going to fund me an apartment too.” She managed to forestall her son’s question by answering it before he had a chance to speak. “No, you can’t stay with me. You’ll have to stay here. But you can visit whenever you want to.” 

His face drooped at that but then brightened as another thought struck him. “Can I visit every day?”

“Maybe not every day, you do have your studies to do, and if you want to be a Jedi then you need to concentrate. Rest assured that I am safe,” reasoned Shmi. “For at least this week, we can stay together. Perhaps you can show me the sights?” 

Anakin bounced on the balls of his feet. “There are so many places I can show you, mum!” 

He grabbed her hand and was turning away when she said: “Not now, Ani! Tomorrow!”

“Oh,” he stopped bouncing. “Can Obi-Wan come with us? He knows this planet better than I do.” He shuffled on his feet, obviously feeling nervous and unsure of what he was about to say. 

“What is it, Ani?” Shmi questioned smoothly. 

“Well, I want to do something nice for Master Obi-Wan. He freed you. But I don’t know what.” 

Shmi looked thoughtful. “What does he like?” 

“Erm… I don’t know,” her son answered honestly. “He’s a difficult person to figure out. He keeps to himself mostly. He meditates a lot. More than any other Jedi I know.” 

“Perhaps this is something we can figure out later on, shall we?” She wanted the chance to get to know the man responsible for freeing her before giving her son ideas as to how he could thank him for what he had done for them. “I’d like to spend time with you. Perhaps you can show me around the Temple.” 

Anakin’s face brightened once more. “Yeah, I could! Oh, not yet I can’t. Master Obi-Wan said that the Council want to announce you being here first. I think we have to stay here until one of them comes and gets us.”

“Alright then.” Shmi settled down on the sofa situated alongside the edge of the wall. She pattered the space next to her and urged her son to come and sit with her. “Why not tell me everything you have done since you left Tatooine?”

So he did. 

\- - - - -

By the time Anakin reached the end of summarising what had happened in the days following his freedom, Shmi was in shock. Her son – her then nine-year-old son - had been involved in a space battle? Had blown up a space station from the inside to save a planet, mere days after he had left her? Had been proclaimed a hero of Naboo for helping to liberate it? 

It was things like this that Shmi was glad she had not been around to know about at the time. She’d have been sick with worry if she’d known her son was fighting for his life in the middle of a space battle… even if he had only been there by accident, it was still a worry for her now knowing that he had been involved in something like that… 

“Mum, you don’t need to worry,” he pulled her into a hug. “I had the Force with me.” 

It was strange to hear her son tell her that. He was her little boy. How could she not worry? It was a mother’s duty. “Ani, it’s hard for me to hear about you in dangerous situations.” 

Anakin frowned. “But that’s the life of a Jedi. I will be putting myself into them to save the galaxy.” He scratched the back of his neck. “I have to wait till I’m thirteen though. Master Obi-Wan goes away on solo missions but I can’t go with him yet. He only gets short ones though so he doesn’t leave me too long.” 

“Then I have a few years of no worrying to do then,” chuckled Shmi.

“Mum…” Anakin groaned, rolling his eyes. “I can look after myself…” 

“I know you can, but you will always be my little boy, no matter how tall you grow,” she replied, fingering his Padawan braid. “Now, why not tell me more about your time in the Temple?” 

Anakin dived back into his storytelling. 

Shmi sat there and listened, rejoicing in hearing her son’s enthusiasm and determination to become a Jedi, to prove the Council wrong that they should never have rejected him to be trained in the first place. That had surprised her but she didn’t comment… perhaps that was something she could ask Obi-Wan about later. He had been there; he’d be able to shed light on the situation. Her son was probably too young to truly understand why the Masters had originally said no to his training. 

“…and then I beat him, mum! I beat him!” 

She shook her head, having been lost in her thoughts for just a few seconds. Anakin’s story had continued. “What?” 

“Mum I beat the Sith killer!” He was bouncing up and down on the sofa, his face beaming with pride. 

“The Sith killer?” She was confused. What was a Sith and who had killed one?

Anakin bit his lip. “Oh, I shouldn’t have said that. It’s said that the person who killed Master Qui-Gon was a Sith. They don’t like the Jedi. But Obi-Wan killed him which made him a Knight so he could train me! When I first came here, rumours spread what Master Obi-Wan had done on Naboo though the Council never really released the information publicly. They still know the truth and some of the older Padawans nicknamed my Master the ‘Sith killer’. He’s one of the best duellists in the Order! And I beat him at practice, the first time!”

“Have you beaten him since?” 

Anakin blushed. “No.” 

“Then he learnt from his mistakes,” hinted Shmi. 

Anakin fidgeted. “Master Obi-Wan keeps telling me that. He keeps disarming me now. I only got lucky because he turned his back on me.” 

“Perhaps that was a lesson for you to learn. Never turn your back on your opponent.” 

“That was the lesson he wanted to teach me,” he replied. “I think he did it deliberately. But mum I still managed to beat him, even if he did do that deliberately!” 

Shmi could only laugh at her son’s enthusiasm. “What am I going to do with you?” 

“What do you mean?” His face was a look of complete innocence. 

Pulling him into a hug once more, she whispered in his ear: “I am proud of you, Ani, and how well you are doing.” She felt her son sigh – and she had the distinct impression that her son didn’t hear that enough from his teachers and she wondered if one of the reasons why he wasn’t settling as well as he could have, was not because he missed her, but because he was not given the praise he needed to settle his inadequacies? 

\- - - - -

The next day brought a flurry of activity to the Temple.

The news that Anakin had been granted visits to his mother and that she would be taking a posting inside the Temple caused friction between members of the Jedi Order. Knights expressed their opinions to the Jedi Council and there were mumblings among the young Padawans how Anakin was getting special treatment, however the Council emphasised that Anakin’s situation was different and that if any Knight was not happy with the situation, they had every right to their own thoughts and if they so wished, they could leave the Order. 

Fortunately no Knight took up that option. 

Obi-Wan, on the other-hand, was cornered by several of his friends and colleagues after it had spread that it had been his initial idea to free Shmi from slavery. He found himself being unable to practice in the training rooms due to the constant disruptions. He knew it would be like this for a while so he was glad Anakin had a week away from the bustle of Jedi life and that they had been nice enough to ask him if he wanted to join them that morning, of which he had refused, but that had been before he had been constantly fending off other Jedi. The last time this had happened was when he had returned from Naboo as a Knight. 

That morning Anakin had left the Temple with his mother, not even giving his Master an indication as to where they were going. Settling into the currents of the Force, Obi-Wan sought out his Padawan along the bond that they shared. Their bond wasn’t strong – not yet – but Obi-Wan was able to determine exactly where Anakin and his mother were – or the general direction at least. 

Galactic City Central. Why does that not surprise me? 

He took a hover-cab to the Galactic City Central, dressed in his usual Jedi garb, but keeping his lightsaber hidden beneath the folds of his cloak. He kept probing for his Padawan’s presence in the Force, letting him know that he was on his way to them and to stay put. He wasn’t sure if Anakin would listen but it was worth a shot and considering Anakin’s presence seemed to stay in that area, it relieved the Jedi Knight to know that for once his instructions were being followed. 

He found his young Padawan in a classy restaurant, having a late afternoon meal with his mother. “So, this is what you do on your first day off. You take your mother to a highly expensive restaurant.” 

Anakin smiled sheepishly up at him. “I have a cred-card!” 

“A cred-card that the Masters authorised you to use to help your mother with purchases that are necessary,” retorted Obi-Wan, putting out a chair and settling himself down at the table. “But I suppose they won’t be taking too much notice on how you spend the money they have graciously given to Shmi to help her set up.” It was so very difficult to tease Anakin but at least on this occasion he wasn’t taking it seriously as he laughed.

“Master, what are you doing here anyway? I thought you were meditating at the Temple. You always do that when I’m not with you.” 

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. “No, I don’t. But when it is announced that your Padawan is allowed contact with his mother and that I am the one responsible for it… I did expect some interruptions but I’ve had a lot for one morning all ready. I thought getting out of the Temple would be the best thing for me to do. And considering I have the details as to the apartment your mother will be living in, it seemed appropriate to deal with that.” 

“Will I be far from the Temple?” asked Shmi curiously. 

Obi-Wan shook his head. “No, it won’t be. Roughly a forty-minute journey by hover-bus and it is in a nice area of the city. Not too far from the central city either but far enough that you won’t feel crowded by all the political happenings. It’s priced a fair rate and should be affordable to you.” He picked up a piece of bread that was sitting in the centre of the table and took a bite. “After you’ve finished your meal – do you have one coming?” Anakin nodded. “Then I’ll take you to your apartment. It’s been furnished for you and all essentials you need for the next week have been stored there to so you don’t need to worry about rushing out and buying anything until next week at least.” He leant back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. “You can spend the next few days exploring though I suspect Anakin might want to introduce you to some of his dearest friends.” 

Anakin flushed. “How did you know?” 

“Anakin, I’m your Master. It’s my duty to know what you want to do and to put a stop to it if I deem it unnecessary,” he stroked his bearded chin. “Though I’m not sure if the Chancellor would be interested in meeting your mother or if he’d have the time. There is an important vote coming up in the next few days.” 

“He always makes time for me no matter how busy he is!” interrupted Anakin, a bit hotly and sounding whiny. 

“Yes, and that is what is worrying about it,” Obi-Wan answered calmly. They’d had this argument before. Anakin’s tendency to rush off to see Chancellor Palpatine at a moment’s notice didn’t dwell well with him but he couldn’t stop it since there was no harm in him visiting him. The problem was, was the Chancellor encouraging the boy to visit him as often as he liked without scheduling a proper meeting. 

“The Chancellor?” 

Obi-Wan had forgotten that Shmi didn’t know much about the Galactic Republic. “Anakin has a friendship with Chancellor Palpatine, the leader of the Republic. Naboo was his home world and Anakin is a hero of the planet so he has a keen interest in his Jedi education. It’s unusual for a Chancellor to be that involved in a Jedi’s life though.”

“I’m sure he’d love to meet you mum!” Anakin sounded so giddy. 

“Maybe but if he is busy, Ani, perhaps it might be best to go through official lines?” She would never presume to think that she could just go and see an important man like that. It was one of the principle teachings she had tried to install in Anakin from when he was a small boy. It seemed the special interest the Chancellor had in him had made him forget that. 

“Oh,” Anakin pouted, biting his lip as his expression and Force aura deflated. “I guess you’re right, mum.” 

Obi-Wan’s eyebrows rose but he chose not to comment. 

“If you make an appointment, I will gladly go with you,” said Shmi, “but Ani, I won’t simply go to the Senate and expect him to see me whenever I turn up.” 

“I’ll go through his office then,” he replied, still sounding a bit moody. 

Obi-Wan caught Shmi’s eyes. “Sorry,” he mouthed at her, feeling slightly guilty that he had managed to put a foot in Anakin’s plans to introduce Shmi to one of his other parental figures. 

But the former slave didn’t seem to mind what he had unintentionally caused. She seemed to understand that despite appearances, Anakin had changed, more so than she had realised. He had become complacent, expected to be treated differently from everyone else. 

It was up to her to reign in him and teach him that he wasn’t different. She grounded him, which was something Obi-Wan had not been able to do yet. 

He was beginning to see the potential Shmi’s presence had for Anakin. He had a good feeling that his decision to petition the Council to free her had been the best decision he had ever made. 

It would just take a while before the full results of his endeavour would be known, but at the moment all signs seemed to be positive, despite her only been back for one day in his Padawan’s life. 

**To be continued....**


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

One standard week had passed since Shmi had arrived on Coruscant; one week since she had been freed; one whole week where she had spent the time with her son; one whole week where she had relished her freedom to do what she wanted whenever she wanted: something she had never had the chance to do in years. 

For that one week, Anakin had been granted permission by his Master to stay at her new apartment, and this was the morning where he would return to the Temple and continue with his lessons. She would have the time for herself for the next few weeks and she didn’t know what to do, but she didn’t wish to worry her son so kept her worries to herself. 

“Ani, shouldn’t you be on your way by now?” she tried not to nag but she couldn’t help it. 

Her son walked out of his room, wearing his Jedi tunic. He had been wearing common clothes throughout the week so as not to give away his role as a Jedi trainee; however the braid he wore had been enough of a clue to most people. 

“This sounds silly,” her son hesitated, “but I don’t want to go back because I won’t be able to come home to you.” He looked awkward, standing there on his feet, looking ashamed at what he was saying. “I really want to be a Jedi.” 

Shmi could understand, she really could. “Ani, you’ve spent the past year away from me. I can understand you wanting to stay with me, but I am safe now. You don’t have to worry about me. You can come and see me in a few days, if Obi-Wan allow it.” 

Anakin shuffled his feet in annoyance. He didn’t like the idea of asking his Master for permission to go and see his own mother, but it was a rule that both Shmi and Obi-Wan had insisted on imposing upon him. She didn’t like how her son had changed from a young boy who was obedient to his superiors to doing whatever he liked without telling anyone or asking for permission. He was taking his freedom too far. The world outside slavery still meant rules had to be followed. “Ok, I’ll ask him, but he’ll probably say no. Probably say I will have to meditate or something first.” He sounded almost moody.

Shmi chuckled. “Ani, he did free me, he’s not going to stop you seeing me. All we ask is for you to get permission before you leave the Temple. And have you requested a meeting with the Chancellor yet?” Her son hadn’t said a word about taking her to see one of his friends since the beginning of the week. 

“Yes. His secretary replied and said that he would reply when he has the time.”

“Well then,” she continued, “now you know he is a very busy man and can’t drop everything just because you turn up at his offices.” 

Anakin scowled. “He always has though.” 

Shmi folded her arms, knelt down and looked her son in the eyes. “It still doesn’t mean that it is right for you to go and see him without notice, despite what he has told you. Proper procedures are in place for a reason, no one should get special treatment just because they curry favour. Has your friend ever given Obi-Wan the same courtesy? He is a hero of Naboo too, isn’t he?” 

“He is but Master Obi-Wan doesn’t like politicians. He’s not going to go out of his way to be friends with one,” protested Anakin, but he could see what his mother was trying to point out to him. He was taking advantage of a system, of rules that had been put in place for a reason. “I don’t know if Obi-Wan can visit him whenever he wants. I know he never has. I don’t think he’s seen him in person since the celebration party on Naboo.” 

Shmi nodded but chose not to pursue the matter. As long as Anakin understood he shouldn’t get special treatment – or if he did, the other person involved in said circumstances should get it too – then he would grow into a fine man, but she had to wonder why he felt that he could get away with things that others were not permitted to do. 

\- - - - -

“I’m hoping that perhaps you can help me, Master Obi-Wan.” Shmi led the Jedi into her living room area, offering him a drink as he sat down on the soft, beige sofa that she and Anakin had purchased earlier that week. 

“Please, it’s Obi-Wan to you, Shmi. Anakin only has to call me ‘Master’ because I am his teacher,” he smiled warmly. “Now, what can I help you with?” 

Shmi sat down opposite him and fixed him with a stern look. “I want to know why my son believes he deserves special treatment.” 

“Ah.” Obi-Wan’s mouth opened and shut like a goldfish. “I thought that might come up.” 

“Well?” She crooked an eyebrow up knowing that she was giving a Jedi a rather intimidating glare. He was getting uncomfortable. Despite living as a slave for many years, Shmi Skywalker was a strong women and perfectly capable of being a figure of authority. When you were raising a head-strong, Force-sensitive boy, you had to be. “I am waiting…”   
Obi-Wan went red. Never before had he been so intimidated like this. Shmi had to wonder if the way she was broadcasting her emotions to him made him feel inadequate about his own abilities to train Anakin. That couldn’t be true; he had just been thrown off guard. Yes, that had to be it. 

“Anakin didn’t mention to you about the ‘Chosen One’?” he probed. 

Shmi shook her head. “No, he didn’t.” She had an ominous feeling about this. 

“My former Master believed Anakin was the prophesised Chosen One of the Jedi fables. Anakin knows this, but I believe it was unwise to let him know. I didn’t have any control over this as I was a mere Padawan at the time. It was my Master’s decision to inform the Council of his belief in front of Anakin. There is evidence which suggests that Qui-Gon was correct in his assumption. Anakin was admitted to the Jedi Order because of several mitigating factors: the reappearance of an enemy the Jedi thought long dead and the fact that I promised my Master to train him. Also, the knowledge that he has no father meant that he is special. He has the strongest affinity for the Force that I have ever seen. Anakin is supposed to bring balance to the Force – I don’t know what that means – no one truly understands what that involves. Your son knows that he has this high expectation placed upon him but he also knows that any child over a certain age is not accepted for training: apart from himself. He has a special destiny and Anakin knows that he won’t be thrown out of the Order because we need him,” explained Obi-Wan. “He doesn’t have any friends his own age. He is the outcast – they all treat him differently… He didn’t grow up with them so they do not understand him. Everyone knows he is different – more powerful than any of them. The Chancellor seeking him out and Anakin’s own desire to seek approval has contributed to his belief he deserves special treatment because the Chancellor – the most important person in the Republic – goes out of his way to treat him differently than everyone else. Anakin is not the usual Jedi apprentice. He’s far from it. If Anakin didn’t know he was the subject of a prophecy then he probably wouldn’t have had the trouble he’s had in settling in.” Obi-Wan fell silent, clearly expecting many questions. 

Shmi sat silently, her mind running through everything that the Jedi Knight had told her. First things first, she needed clarification: “A prophecy?” 

Obi-Wan nodded. “It’s not very clear and we don’t know what to make of it, all we can feel in the Force is that your son has a special destiny. If he was made at the Force’s will, with no father involved, then he has power capable of saving us all.” He didn’t even know why he was telling this to her. Information like this was likely to scare her, but he was certain Anakin’s knowledge of his importance was the contributing factor as to why he hadn’t settled in as well as he could have done. If he had been born in the Republic, he would have been accepted by his fellow Padawans and not shunned because everyone in the Temple was aware of the rumours that circled about him. If Shmi wasn’t told about the possibilities her son had in front of him, she’d have overheard the gossip. Yes, it was better that she heard it from him. 

“I always thought he was special,” she smiled softly. “Hearing about a prophecy that is about you can give an impressionable child the wrong ideas … And that the Chancellor has singled him out for special treatment is very wrong indeed.” 

“Politicians,” replied Obi-Wan grimly. “They like to bend the rules when it suits them. I can understand Palpatine’s reasons for seeing Anakin whenever he likes… it just sits uncomfortable with me that he could drop anything just for a Padawan.” 

“Does the Chancellor know of Ani’s potential?” Shmi questioned. 

Obi-Wan shrugged. “The Jedi never told him. If he does know, it will be because Anakin mentioned it.” He bowed his head, sighing audibly. “Anakin doesn’t like it when I have to criticise him. From Palpatine he gets praise. Sometimes I have the feeling that Anakin wishes I had died instead of Qui-Gon.” 

“I’m certain Ani doesn’t wish that,” she replied, reaching across and patting the Knight’s hand. “Criticism is a part of learning.” 

“Funny thing that, my Master used to say the same thing to me when I first became his Padawan.” 

“Have you ever said that to Ani?” 

“No.” Obi-Wan shook his head. “I never thought to.” 

Shmi looked thoughtful. “I think I understand why Ani takes it so harshly. If you were criticised as a slave you were a failure as one and were likely to die or be punished for your failure. Harsh slavers do not view their slaves as people, rather objects of ownership without any capable thought.” 

“I told you before that he used to think I’d hit him when he did something wrong,” Obi-Wan mentioned sadly, his shoulders slumping. 

“He has learnt then that no matter what he does wrong, he won’t be punished,” hinted Shmi, “so he pushes the boundaries to see how much freedom he has because he has never had freedom before.” 

“Jedi are not beyond punishment,” Obi-Wan replied cautiously. “We do have protocols in place to deal with Padawans that are a bit of a handful. It usually entails a lot more study time and less freedom to pursue an activity of your choice. Are you saying I should be harsher with him?” He didn’t like that idea one thought. Surely that would make Anakin more rebellious? Less inclined to follow his lead and learn? 

Shmi laughed. “No, I don’t mean that. You should be more understanding of why. Help him come to terms with what freedom he does have. You had the traditional Jedi upbringing, Ani didn’t. It is difficult for him to associate that there are still certain things he cannot do. Added to the mix is this prophecy which makes him even more different to his fellow Jedi and you have one very insecure little boy who cannot figure out his place in the world.” 

“You’re a very wise woman, Shmi,” smiled Obi-Wan. 

“I learnt a lot from being a slave,” she responded.

Obi-Wan chuckled. “I do believe that freeing you was a very good idea.” 

“Good.” She took a sip from a glass of water. “One other thing before you go, Obi-Wan, what do you like?” 

Startled, Obi-Wan looked confused. “What?” 

“Ani would like to do something special for you in return for freeing me. He doesn’t know what to get you. I thought asking the receiver of said gift would be a better idea than trying to guess,” explained Shmi. 

Obi-Wan leaned forward. “I don’t want anything. A Jedi has no belongings. Apart from his clothes and lightsaber, of course,” he quipped. 

“Oh come on, Master Jedi, surely there is something that every Jedi desires?” 

Obi-Wan sighed. “You’re going to keep on pushing me until I’ve given you an answer, aren’t you? 

Shmi nodded, not answering, a smile curving at the edges of her lips. 

Rubbing his face with both of his hands, Obi-Wan sat straighter in his chair and decided to take a gamble. “What would I like? I’d like Anakin to become the Jedi he is capable of being. I would like him to respect the rules and to follow my lead and learn from me instead of thinking he can do what he likes whenever he sees fit. Does that help?”

“Very much so,” she honestly replied. “I will see what I can do for you, Master Kenobi.” 

\- - - - -

Everyone’s eyes were on him. When he had re-entered the Jedi Temple, Anakin Skywalker had felt the eyes of every Jedi in the vicinity fix immediately upon him. The Force shifted around him and he let his irritation pour out into his presence. The eyes swiftly turned away but he knew they were talking about him as he made his way to the quarters he shared with his Master. 

He grabbed his data-pad and books that he needed before rushing back out and towards the Temple study rooms. 

Today was theory. 

Tomorrow was practical. 

He hated the theory. He thought it pointless. Plus he was with Padawans younger then he was because he needed to catch up on what he had missed through his non-education from a young age. He hated being bundled with people younger than him. It made him look stupid. 

He quietly slipped into a chair at the back of the room, trying not to be noticed but failing miserably. He was a head-taller than the other students and two years older. Still, at least in the space of a year he had caught up on four years’ worth of work, and that had only been due to Obi-Wan’s determination to get him up to speed as quickly as possible. He ignored the looks coming his way and settled down, choosing to open his books to the pre-assigned page and to read over the text. 

The history of the Jedi – why did he have to know this? _Because the past can be a benefit to us just as much as our present experiences can be._ That was what Obi-Wan had told him. Anakin had yet to have an experience where his past experiences could even help him in his life as a Jedi. 

“Hey, Skywalker!” 

Anakin glanced to the younger boy, feigning interest. “What?” 

“I heard you’re allowed home visits. Is this true?” 

There was no point in denying it since it had been announced by the Council. “Yes.” He didn’t want to say much more. 

“Why?” 

“I don’t know,” he answered, turning his head away to look back down at the book. 

“Why not?” 

Anakin started to feel angry. _Take deep breaths and remain calm…_ “I don’t know.” 

“You really don’t know?” The boy was extremely persistent for an eight year old. 

“I really don’t,” pressed Anakin, trying to not let the agitation appear. “Please, just leave it, ok?” He was trying to deal with this in a mature manner. “If I knew I’d tell you, but I don’t.” He really didn’t want to get into this argument. 

The young Jedi leaned back in his chair, studying Anakin. “I think you know but you don’t want to say.” 

Anakin clenched his fists. Of course he knew. He wasn’t settled in his life. He’d been kidding himself when he had told his mother that he thought he was. Obi-Wan had known and had tried to help him. Anakin hadn’t been oblivious to his attempts but he hadn’t wanted to know. Anakin thought he knew best. It would be a mistake to let the others know. He was pleased his mother was here. She could help him, he understood that. Just thinking of her being free calmed him and he released the tension he was holding stiffly inside his body. He could deal with his. He was a Jedi. 

“If I do know why I’ve been granted this opportunity, perhaps it is not wise of me to tell you?” he said in return, pleased that he had managed to keep the anger and frustration out of his voice. 

The boy crooked his head but said no more. 

Anakin breathed a sigh of relief and settled into the lesson. 

_Calmness was the path to serenity…_

\- - - - -

Anakin returned to his Master’s quarters later that day to find a message waiting for him from the office of Chancellor Palpatine. It was a recorded message, sent earlier that afternoon. Obi-Wan wasn’t in his rooms so Anakin dutifully played the holo-message. 

Chancellor Palpatine, grey haired and sitting in the chair at his desk appeared on the screen in front of him, a weary, but delighted smile on his face. “Anakin! It is so good to hear from you. You know very well that I do not mind you dropping by whenever you feel like it. I will always have room in my schedule for you, even if I am in the middle of a very busy day! Please, Anakin, just come and visit me. If you are looking for a specific time when I am not surrounded by diplomatic issues, Sunday afternoon is the best day. I will be in my office reading over proposed policies. Please, my boy, come by and perhaps we can talk about your progress? It would be an absolute delight to see you again.” 

_There, that should be fine for mum._

\- - - - -

One week had passed since Anakin had returned to the Temple. He hadn’t seen his mother since the start of the week and he was eagerly anticipating his days off to visit her and to take her to meet his friend, the Chancellor. He had responded to the message, confirming his delight that he would see the great man on Sunday, but only after he had cleared the meeting with Obi-Wan, who had given his permission, providing of course Anakin, was back in the Temple by the evening meal, which the young boy had promised to be. 

In the early afternoon, Anakin and his mother departed the apartment building and headed towards the Senate, the home of the seat of the Galactic Republic. As they entered the Senate district they had to pass through several security checks. Anakin had a valid pass granted to him which excluded him from security checks. His status as a Jedi did come in useful. His mother didn’t have any such protection on her and had to submit to a simple pat-and-search to make sure she wasn’t carrying anything dangerous. 

Once cleared they entered the Senate and Anakin led her down the white, gleaming corridors to the turbo-lifts and led her into the middle one, stabbing in the floor that would take him directly to the Supreme Chancellor’s Office. 

“Ani, does the Chancellor know I’m coming?” asked Shmi. Today she wore a dress she had recently bought, a patterned dress in pink and yellow. Her hair that Anakin had always seen tied up in a bun, hung loosely around her face, making her seem younger than her forty-one years.

Anakin shuffled on his feet. “I didn’t tell him. I just said I’d visit this afternoon just as he suggested I should.” 

“As long as he knows you are coming…” she finished, patting her son on the shoulder. 

“Mum, he knows I’m coming! He wouldn’t have given me the time or day to come along if he wasn’t okay with it!” responded Anakin indignantly. 

Shmi smiled. “Ok, Ani, let’s go meet the Chancellor.” 

\- - - - -

Anakin practically bounded into the Supreme Chancellor’s Office, followed by his mother. He ran up to the desk. “Hi, sir!” 

“Anakin…” the Supreme Chancellor greeted. “My, how long has it been? A few months since we last saw each other?” 

Anakin nodded eagerly. “Yeah, I’ve been really busy with my studies and something really wonderful happened a few weeks ago!” He turned towards his mother, who was standing behind him, looking a bit shy and unsure of herself. “Chancellor, this is my mum.” 

He didn’t even see the Chancellor’s reaction to this news. “Your mother?” his answer was quite faint. 

“Yeah!” he shouted delightedly. “Master Obi-Wan got permission to free her!” 

Palpatine walked around his desk and took Shmi’s hand in his own. “Shmi Skywalker isn’t it?” 

“Yes,” she responded shrewdly. “How did you know?” 

Palpatine looked pointedly at Anakin. “Your son tells me a lot of things. I am delighted to hear that the Jedi saw fit to free you from slavery.” He led her towards his desk. “Please, sit down! It will be a pleasure to get to know you, just as I have had the innocuous pleasure of getting to know and help your very special boy.” 

Shmi settled herself down into a poufee chair that Anakin had pushed up from the side of the room, than he placed himself down on a sturdier, wooden chair. “How have you been helping my son?” she asked. “You are not his guardian and do not have any responsibility over Ani.” 

“Mum!” Anakin was shocked. 

“Anakin is a citizen. It is my responsibility to make sure that he is safe from harm,” replied the Chancellor delicately. 

“A Jedi is never safe from harm,” countered Shmi, “I know that they do face danger. They are not part of the Republic officially are they? The Senate requests their aid but the Jedi maintain the right to refuse if they feel Jedi involvement isn’t needed. They are the guardians of peace and justice in the Galactic Republic, but have never served you. They look out for their own, as is befitting an organisation.” 

“When did you read about this?” asked Anakin. He hadn’t known his mother had made the effort to search out the Jedi code and the principles they lived by. It astounded him that she had done that, but then something nagged at his brain and he realised that whatever he learnt as a slave, she had made the effort to understand it herself, that way if Anakin was ever ill, she’d be able to take his place for the day. It made logical sense for her to understand the Jedi Order as much as she could, so she knew what her son was getting into. 

“During the week,” she replied, “I asked Obi-Wan to send me files on the Jedi Code and its role within the Republic.” Despite the fact that she was looking at her son, she detected Palpatine’s very slight movement at the mention of Obi-Wan out of the corner of her eye. His body stiffened before relaxing. It all happened within a blink. She couldn’t help but feel that something was not all as it seemed with the Chancellor. 

Palpatine was quick to interrupt. “You see, my lady, your son was instrumental in saving my home world. I am very grateful for what he did, therefore without a parental figure around him that is not a Jedi, I feel honour bound to watch out for him and to be the confidante that he needs which the Jedi cannot always fulfil with their strict codes on attachment.” 

“And that justifies Anakin being given special treatment does it?” 

Anakin groaned. “Please mum…” 

“No, Ani, I will not have my son treated differently from anyone else.” She turned back to Palpatine. “A hero Ani may be but that does not justify allowing him to come and visit you whenever he feels like it. As a Jedi he is meant to respect and respond to the rules – you are installing in him the knowledge that if he becomes a hero then he can expect to be treated differently with favour then others and not follow the rules.” She crossed her arms and glared at the Supreme Chancellor. “I want this to stop. If he wants to come and see you then he has to make an appointment that doesn’t interrupt you. It is only the proper and just thing to do. You do stand for those things don’t you?” 

It seemed she had shocked the Chancellor, judging by the look on his face. “If you feel that strongly about it…” 

“I do.” She pursed her lips, determined not to let her resolve waver. 

Anakin had sunk further down in his seat, feeling very embarrassed by the way his mother was talking to the Chancellor. 

“Then I will respect your wishes, Miss Skywalker.” Palpatine shifted his body so that he was directly looking at the young boy. “Anakin, please do me the courtesy of coming for an appointment whenever you wish to see me.” 

“Yes sir,” he answered. 

Satisfied, Shmi relaxed. “Perhaps, Chancellor, you could tell me all about Republic? That is something I haven’t researched much of and if you have the time, a brief history would be marvellous.” 

\- - - - -

This was unexpected. 

Shmi Skywalker’s presence on Coruscant and access to the Jedi’s Chosen One could prove to be very problematic for the Sith Lord. His meeting with the woman had thrown him off-guard – a rare thing to happen to someone who was a master of deceit and disguise. 

He would have to keep a watch on her, and to examine how much of an influence she exercised over her son during his Jedi training. If she proved to be a problem that could enable the Skywalker boy to remain in the light, then she’d have to be eliminated. 

For now, he would watch and wait, and see how much of an affect Shmi Skywalker had on little Anakin, _his Chosen One._

Either way she would be dealt with. Just like the boy’s master and the entire Jedi Order would be. 

_In time_ , he thought darkly. 

**To be continued...**


	5. Chapter Five

The end of her meeting with Palpatine had left Shmi feeling very uneasy about him. She couldn’t help noticing that her son felt more at ease with him then he did with his own Master. It concerned her a lot as Obi-Wan was responsible for the welfare of her son. If Anakin didn’t trust him like he did the Chancellor, wouldn’t it impede upon his own training as a Jedi? The Master-Apprentice bond was vital during training. Was Obi-Wan and Anakin’s bond strong? 

Chancellor Palpatine had seemed nice but there was something about him that was off. A Mother’s instincts were important. Should she tell her son about the feeling she was getting from the Chancellor or wait until she had met him a few more times so she could get to know him better? 

The idea that he had a special interest in her son unnerved her. Why would the Supreme Chancellor take such an interest in a young boy? Yes, Anakin had saved his world, that was understandable, but to become like a friend and mentor to him was wrong… He hadn’t satisfied her as to why he was singling him out. What he had said as way of explanation wasn’t proper. 

_Without a parental figure around him who isn’t a Jedi…_ she thought over Palpatine’s words. “No.” She shook her head. “He is wrong. An Apprentice’s Master is there for the exact reason Palpatine said they weren’t. They become their parental figure. Ani hasn’t realised how much Obi-Wan means to him yet.” 

She couldn’t talk to Anakin, but there was no harm in informing Obi-Wan of the situation. He was Anakin’s Master. He did deserve to know. That was another thing she had briefly caught. Palpatine clearly did not like Obi-Wan. He had barely given anything away but that very slight movement at the first mention of the Jedi’s name had been enough to raise her suspicions. Why would he react like that to the Jedi Knight when he had helped to liberate Naboo as well? 

There were too many questions for her to consider at present so she made a simple decision. _I will watch and learn what I can from Palpatine. Let him think he has me fooled. There is something wrong there, I’m sure of it. I just can’t prove it._

\- - - - -

A few weeks later Shmi arrived at the Temple in the morning, wearing a simple dress and cardigan that wouldn’t hamper her role as a Temple-Cleaner. Anakin had dubbed her that a few days ago and the name had stuck to her. She didn’t mind. Obi-Wan had already explained that they would test her out over the next few weeks to find out exactly what she was best at – and she would continuously rotate round to different areas and jobs so there was some difference to her role within the Temple. 

Today was her first day of returning to work after her month of freedom. She could scarcely believe that a month ago she had still been a slave. Never had she dreamed that she would find her freedom and be reunited with her son – nor did she think she would have the chance she had to see him grow up once he had left Tatooine. She had been given a wonderful opportunity to have something that no other parents of potential Jedi could ever have. 

When she stepped through the open Temple doors into the grand hall, she immediately spotted a familiar face. Obi-Wan stood there, wearing his long, brown robes, leaning against one of the pillars to the side of the hall, arms crossed against his chest. Spotting her, he trotted over and shook her hand. 

“I thought it would only be best for you to be met by a familiar face,” he said warmly. “You haven’t really seen much of the Temple. Anakin is in classes and I feel honour-bound to show you around and to introduce you to your team members.” 

Shmi felt overwhelmed by his thoughtfulness about her welfare. “Thank you,” she managed, before she reflected more on his words and her curiosity overcame her. “Team members?” 

“The people you will be working with – those working the same shift pattern as you,” he answered. “You’ll find your first week here people won’t expect you to do much. They’ll prefer you to watch and learn, to ease you in to the work, rather than to expect you to get into it straight away without any knowledge of how things work.” He caught her eyes with his own. “I understand that is how a lot of slaves are treated. They are expected to know without being told or trained.” 

“We are,” she said, “the slave masters expect us to have the skills we are sold for. To make more of a profit, some even lied about what we could do which then results in death of the slave or the death of the original owner. Slavery is a horrible thing. I wouldn’t wish it on anybody.”

He began to lead her out of the grand hall and into the tall, stretching corridors which sparkled in the morning sunlight. The carpet was soft underneath the thin shoes she wore to protect her feet. Her eyes took in her surroundings as she looked at the magnificence of the Temple. 

“I wouldn’t either,” Obi-Wan replied softly. “Shmi, I want you to know that I’ve utilised a few contacts I have to start a trace for any members of your family.” 

She stopped, shocked at his admission, that he would even do that for her. “What?” 

“You were torn from your family by terrible people. I can’t get personally involved in this but I know a few people that could obtain information. I am not expecting anything big to come of this, or for us to find your family. It’s a big galaxy out there. If I can get the wheels spinning and you can learn of their fate, at least you won’t be left wondering about what happened to them. The worst thing for you is not knowing what happened to them.” Obi-Wan looked down at his feet, his shoulder slumping. “It’s made me wonder what it is like for all the parents who give their children to the Order. They never know what has happened to them. They just have to believe that their child is happy where they are.” 

“Are you happy?” Shmi probed. 

“Of course,” he answered honestly. “I can’t see myself doing anything else. I’ve been trained for this since birth. Some-time in the future I may seek out my parents but at the moment my focus is training your son.” 

“And looking after me, of course,” Shmi laughed. 

“If you want to see it like that…” 

The Jedi led Shmi through the corridors, taking her through the history of the Temple which she found fascinating as it made her feel more connected to Anakin. She had to laugh when Obi-Wan had told her that Anakin had only been interested in the technological aspects of the Temple rather than the unique history it held within its walls and what it represented to the current Jedi Order. 

He fumbled in his brown robes for a swipe card which he pressed into Shmi’s hands before he stopped their walk in front of a smaller door. “Beyond this door is the corridor which the staff use to go to the kitchen. It’s locked at all times so you need a pass key to access it. Only certain members of the Order are allowed full run of the Temple – I’m not one of them.” 

Shmi frowned considering his words. “I guess members of the Jedi Council are allowed to go anywhere then?” 

Obi-Wan nodded. “They do lead our Order… Knights, like myself, can access most places but we still have limitations. Such as this corridor here for the workers is usually only accessed by the Masters, but since I’ve been charged with your welfare I have been temporarily given my own passkey. I will come and visit you just to see how you are getting on for the first few weeks, after that I am expected to resume missions for the Council – and hand back in my passkey,” he grinned. He stopped in front of an open doorway which led into a spacious and brightly painted room. “This is your staff room where you are welcome to come and rest for your breaks and lunch. It’s equipped with the holo-net and research devices too. You are also allowed to have free food from the dining area.” 

Resuming his pace he walked her further down the corridor. 

The smell of vegetables crafted up her nose and she breathed in the fine scent of what she presumed was soup. 

“The kitchen,” Obi-Wan said proudly. “When I was a youngster I crawled through the ventilation system to get into the kitchen during the middle of the night for a little midnight snack. That is quite common for our Padawans to do this though we do warn them not to do it.”

“What happens if you’re caught?” Shmi said curiously. There had to be catch…

“Oh, they are always caught. Security cameras operate at night. The Padawan learns their lesson when they see that they can’t get away with a bit of thievery. It’s an obscure way to teach that stealing is wrong – and a lot of Padawans don’t bother to break into the kitchens. Unfortunately, myself and my friends thought we could get away with it…” 

Shmi chuckled. “Ani told me that you are too good, that he couldn’t see you breaking the rules that would land you in trouble.” 

“When one becomes a master to a Padawan you realise you have a lot of responsibilities to live up to. I’m liable for Anakin’s growth as a person and his success as a Jedi. When he becomes a Knight and gains his own apprentice, he too will come to understand that,” explained Obi-Wan. He palmed his own card against the kitchen door and stepped inside. 

Shmi followed. She was shocked. She had never been in such a big kitchen before. “How many people work here?” 

“Fifty staff to keep the kitchen running each day. For this week, the Council have decided that you’ll stay in this area as the team you are assigned to be a part of are currently rota on kitchen shift duty.” Obi-Wan led Shmi towards the preparation area of the kitchen where a burly woman, with curly brown hair and a kind smile stood chopping away quickly at various vegetables. “Mari.” 

The woman, Mari, placed the knife down on the side and turned to face Obi-Wan and Shmi. “Well, well, I haven’t seen you in a while.” 

“Please don’t embarrass me,” he pleaded jokingly. He pushed Shmi forward. “This is Shmi Skywalker. She’s been assigned to your team as you were informed of by Master Gallia last week.” 

Mari took Shmi’s hand and shook it vigorously. “Welcome, welcome! You will find that all of us here are hard workers but it doesn’t mean we can’t have a bit of fun! Master Gallia informed me that you were once a slave – is that correct?” 

Shmi hesitated. Did everyone know about her former status? 

Obi-Wan leaned in and whispered in her ear. “Don’t worry, only Mari knows that you were a slave. Hardly any Jedi know of Anakin’s own past but the Masters felt it prudent that your team leader is aware of your recent history.” 

“I guess that is acceptable,” swallowed Shmi and plastered a smile across her face. 

Mari signalled to young man with short red hair and a freckly face. “Costo, this is Shmi, our new team member. Can you just take over the cutting for me while I introduce Shmi to the others and show her the ropes?” 

“Sure thing, Mari,” the young man grinned, his green eyes sparkling. He seemed full of life as he turned around and started to chop away, just as fast as Mari had been doing before Obi-Wan had interrupted her. “Oh, and hi, Shmi. Welcome to the hustle and bustle of the Jedi Temple!”

“Thank you.” 

Obi-Wan pattered Shmi on the shoulder. “I’ll leave you in the capable hands of Mari here. She’ll make sure you know your way around. I need to go and find my apprentice, its time I attempted to teach him something,” he winked, grinning at Anakin’s mother. “I’ll be along when your shift finishes, okay?” 

“Ok, thank you, Obi-Wan.” Shmi felt Mari grasp her shoulders and steer her away from the Jedi, already chatting away to her about the rules and regulations of the kitchen. She soon found herself busy as part of the team, helping to prepare the midday meal and getting to know her fellow workers, who would undoubtedly become friends for life. 

\- - - - -

Anakin entered the meditation room full of trepidation. He had never been any good at mediation; always struggled to find his calm centre. His bond with his Master wasn’t strong, despite being together for just over a year, they just did not have that important connection to one another. Meditation was the key to strengthening it but Anakin just did not have the patience for that technique. Obi-Wan had jokingly said that he ‘was always on the move’ so simply could not sit still during meditation. 

He was a doer, not a pacifist like Obi-Wan was. It baffled him why as to why Jedi really needed to mediate. Jedi did things to save others, they acted, didn’t they? 

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan was already in the room, legs crossed, palms resting on the top of his knees, his eyes closed, sitting up-straight on the meditation mat. 

“Master,” acknowledged Anakin, crossing the room and settling down on the free mat next to Obi-Wan. 

His Master barely opened an eye to regard his young apprentice. “I know you dislike meditating, Anakin, but a Jedi needs to centre himself so that he is at peace within the current of the Force. It helps us to achieve inner peace, harmony and serenity as well as mastering self-discipline.” 

“I know, Master,” sighed Anakin as he closed his eyes, seeking his Master’s presence in the Force. 

“I will keep repeating that until you understand why it is necessary for a Jedi to meditate,” Obi-Wan answered calmly. “I sensed what you were thinking when you entered the room. Anakin, meditation is an important part of a Jedi’s life. I was the same as you when I was your age and I _grew up_ meditating from a very young age. If you are anything like me, you won’t come to appreciate meditation until you become a Knight and you begin to experience things that as a Padawan you won’t get.” 

“Like what?” asked Anakin, curiously. 

“Like making decisions.” The Jedi Knight opened his eyes and glanced towards his young friend. “You know the technique: I want you to find my presence in the Force and join with it. Calm yourself and let the light flow through you. Search the current and tell me: what does it tell you?” 

Anakin took a deep breath and plunged into the sea of the Force. He felt the light wash over him, speaking to him in a soft voice, guiding him deeper… He felt calm, at peace… something he had never felt before in meditation. It confused him. Outwardly, his nose crunched up in misunderstanding. He probed deeper, feeling for Obi-Wan’s presence, and then felt him, shining brightly within the Force, his aura a beacon of light. 

Completely pure. 

His Master was completely pure; full of the light side. 

Obi-Wan’s presence joined his and their two auras merged together; the Force vibrating and shimmering around them. 

_Padawan?_ Obi-Wan spoke in his mind, his voice soft and pleasant. _Have you been practising?_

_No, Master._ Anakin felt it best to tell the truth. His Master, while having access to his mind, would instantly be able to sense whether he lied or not. _I don’t understand why it is this easy. I’ve always found it difficult to get to this state of mind._

He could feel Obi-Wan probing his Force essence, searching for why this had happened. 

_I think I know._

_Master, what is it?_

He sensed Obi-Wan send him warmth over their fledging bond, which somehow seemed stronger than it had been the last time they had meditated together before Shmi had returned to Anakin’s life. And then he understood why.

Anakin opened his eyes breaking the contact and stared at his Master who was pulling himself out of meditation. “It’s because of mum, isn’t it?” 

“I believe so,” Obi-Wan frowned, “and that is a good thing,” for he had noticed Anakin’s face as he had frowned as he spoke, “but it does seem a bit strange that suddenly you find it easier to do something that you’ve always had trouble with…” He hesitated, wondering whether to speak his theory to his young charge. 

“Master, you can say what you are thinking in front of me.” 

Obi-Wan grinned. “I thought you’d sense that. Our bond appears stronger, do you agree?” 

Nodding, Anakin said: “Yeah, it is. How come? I could find you quicker too.” 

“Again, I believe your mother. Without knowing it she has greatly affected our bond and you do not worry for her any longer. In previous meditations I felt your worry for her welfare and that you were afraid you wouldn’t save her in time.” Obi-Wan licked his lips, scratching his bearded chin. “Your Force aura is calmer then I have ever sensed it before.” 

He closed his eyes and Anakin felt his Master reaching for him in the Force once more. He opened up his Force aura so he was bearing himself completely to the Jedi. He had not yet learnt to shield parts of himself from Obi-Wan, though the man could not gauge much if Anakin did not share his experiences verbally. The first time they had meditated, his Master had realised how much hurt Anakin had suffered as a slave and to this day, Obi-Wan was still in the dark. It was something that Anakin couldn’t burden him with. He refused to let the Jedi know about his childhood. 

Obi-Wan spoke softly, his forehead scrunching up in lines as he probed deeper. “Your fear… You had so much within you, but it’s greatly diminished…” 

“Master Obi-Wan?” Anakin hesitated, afraid what this meant for his training. 

“Your fear just spiked… now it is settling again,” Obi-Wan continued. Slowly he withdrew from his Padawan’s aura and opened his eyes. His blue-grey pupils found Anakin’s bright blue ones. “Your mother, Anakin, has given you a wonderful gift. Your attachment to your mother instead of being a weakness has evolved into a strength of yours, a net of safety that envelops you and nurtures your skills in the Force.” His lips curled up in a smile. “It appears that petitioning the Council to free your mother was quite a good idea.” 

\- - - - -

Two weeks had passed since Shmi had started to work at the Temple. She had thrown herself into her role, swiftly gaining a reputation as a hard worker and a kind and compassionate woman. 

Everyone she was teamed with knew that she was the mother of the rumoured Chosen One but no one was holding that against her. She had become an accepted member of the team. During the last two weeks she hadn’t spoken to Anakin as his Master was keeping him incredibly busy with his studies. Obi-Wan had met her himself to make sure she was coping well and explained that he and Anakin wanted to explore something that had evolved within the Master-Apprentice bond and it required concentration that Anakin couldn’t afford to lose. She had understood that, she knew there would be times when her son wouldn’t even be on planet for months at a time due to missions. 

The friends she had made were all outsiders. None of them had children who were Force sensitive but they all had a family life to go home to. They had even invited Shmi on one of their regular dinner nights they had with their respective partners so they could get to know her and include her in everything they did. Shmi had even felt comfortable enough to reveal to them that she and Anakin had once been slaves but asked them to keep that little bit of intelligence to themselves as she was sure the only Jedi that knew of Anakin’s previous slavery status was Obi-Wan and the senior Masters.

She was working on cleaning the floor of one of the smaller corridors alongside Mari and Petré when footsteps approached and she glanced up, intending to move the bucket out of the way, but stopped in surprise when she saw Obi-Wan standing there. 

“Go ahead, Shmi,” instructed Mari. “I’ll finish up this bit. Meet us in the fourth corridor, ok?” Mari lifted the washing cloth from Shmi’s hands and nodded to Obi-Wan. “Master Jedi.”

He gave her a slight nod. “Shmi, I’d just like a word with you.” 

Standing up, she followed him to a side door just down the corridor and stepped into a small chamber reserved for meditation practice for the younglings. 

“I’d just like to ask you how you are faring?” he said, by way of a conversation-starter. 

“Fine. It’s going well,” she answered. “Everyone is so nice and kind and understanding. And I love working here.” She shifted on her feet. “I told them that I had been a slave. I know they take things easy here but hard work has been drilled into me ever since I was a little girl. I think they wonder why I push myself.” 

“It’s understandable. You are used to pushing yourself to please your owners. We don’t expect you to do that. We aren’t slavers. You are our equals. It’s why we try to employ ordinary people with no links to the Jedi to show that we care for you. Shmi, you should work at the pace that suits you best. The last thing I need is for Anakin to accuse me of forcing his mother to work,” he chuckled, smiling broadly. 

Shmi slumped her shoulders. “I know. I still need to adjust to being free. I had a holiday that is all.” A wry smile appeared across her face. “You came to speak to me for a specific purpose...” 

“Nothing can get by you can it?” the Jedi Knight quipped. 

“No, it cannot,” she returned. 

“You and Anakin can spend the weekend together. I have work that needs to be done that requires no distractions and Anakin has worked hard enough the past few weeks that I can release him to your custody for the next few days. I have checked your schedule and you are not working this weekend.” 

“That would be lovely,” she swallowed. It had felt strange not being able to see her son despite being in the Temple at the same time as him but her duties had kept her away from Anakin’s classes. She did wonder if Obi-Wan had engineered that deliberately but if she had, she trusted the Jedi for doing so. She decided to risk that question that was sitting at the top of her brain. “Did you manage to learn more about what you and Ani discovered?” 

Obi-Wan’s eyes widened slightly. “That is not something I’m really at liberty to discuss with you at this present time. I still need to have words with the Council. Anakin doesn’t fully understand it either yet. I’d rather make sure he gets the awareness of everything before I inform you. I still need the Council’s opinion on the matter before I can even sit down with Anakin and discuss this.” He patted Shmi on the back. “I hope you can appreciate why I can’t speak to you now.” 

It was understandable. Why would she hold it against Obi-Wan for keeping something from her that really she shouldn’t know about? She gave him a warming smile. “It’s ok. When you know, tell me because I want to feel I’m involved but only when all the pieces of the puzzles fit. Until then I don’t want to know.” 

“Thank you, Shmi Skywalker.” 

\- - - - -

A few hours later Anakin was safely with his mother at her apartment and Obi-Wan stood in front of the Jedi Council, hands placed in front of him as he took in the most highly esteemed members of the Jedi Order. “I wish to discuss with the Council the progress of my Padawan learner. His skills have vastly improved over the last few weeks and our bond is stronger than it ever has been before. We’ve never really been capable of sensing each other’s thoughts before, now we have that ability to do so.” 

Mace Windu leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he considered the Knight before him. “I have sensed it too. Skywalker is calmer, more in tune with the Force. His fear is considerably less than it was a few months ago when I last probed his presence in passing. He was always full of trepidation and worry, carefully concealed from most Jedi.” 

“Surprising this is,” admitted Yoda. “Attachment not what we thought it is.”

“In Anakin’s case at the moment it indicates his strength but will it always be like that?” questioned Plo Koon. “It is too soon to determine whether this is a permanent change in young Skywalker. If he remains focused and his mother’s presence is a contributing factor, he could be responsible for the changing of the Jedi Code.” 

There was a murmur among the Council members as they considered the Kel Dor’s words. 

Obi-Wan stayed silent, watching and waiting as the Masters made small comments and tossed meaningful glances back and forth. A discussion was being carried out in front of him through use of the Force, most of which he could not follow, but he could sense the atmosphere of the genuine feelings of the Masters within the current of the Force if he allowed himself to tune into it. They were concerned whether Anakin’s attachment to his mother would ultimately be a bad thing, even if it helped him grow as a Jedi; whether other Jedi would petition to have a family of their own; whether their decision to allow Anakin access to his mother would ultimately prove to be the groundwork of changing the core principles of the Jedi Order. 

It wasn’t his place to intervene but he decided to. He felt he could contribute to the discussion at hand. “If I may, Masters?” he queried. 

Mace sat back and waved a hand at him. “Go ahead.” 

The other Masters settled back and turned their gaze towards Obi-Wan who shifted slightly from the intense gazes. “What works for Anakin may not work for every Jedi. I believe it depends on what type of person you are, what traits you exhibit. We all share the same background, but Anakin doesn’t. He formed attachments before he came here. His bond with his mother helped him to survive slavery. A bond between mother and child is difficult to break, especially one that was formed in terrible conditions. None of us can truly understand that parental bond. He was thrust into a new world knowing that his mother was still suffering. It was natural for him to fear for her and to continue to do so. Shmi’s freedom means that he doesn’t have to worry or fear for her. He knows she is safe and happy. His insecurities and fear came from separating him from his mother in the first place. She is the balance that keeps Anakin in check because he did not have the upbringing we have had. What works for Anakin in gaining control of his abilities might not work for most of the Jedi.” 

“Knight Kenobi is correct.” Normally very quiet in Council sessions, Saesee Tiin, when he spoke his opinion was highly valued by the other members. “We cannot attempt to keep Skywalker on the path of the Jedi without taking into account his exceptional circumstances. It has been proven that within two weeks his powers have grown. The lack of conflict within his Force presence only determines the truth. To fully analyse the effect his mother has one him, I suggest we monitor his progress closely and to assess the boy occasionally ourselves.” 

“Wise words you have,” the diminutive Jedi replied. “This we will do. Bring young Skywalker to us when called for you will.” 

Obi-Wan inclined his head. “Yes, Master Yoda.” 

“Do keep us informed of the progress of your bond however,” Windu instructed, “I feel that it is a bond that will become of great importance to the Jedi one day.” 

Obi-Wan couldn’t help but feel slightly nervous of the expectations that had been placed upon his shoulders. They expected so much of him for a Jedi Knight so young.   
_I guess that is what happens when you are responsible for the training of the boy fated to destroy the Sith once and for all…_

**To be continued...**

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally posted on fanfiction.net in 2012. I am now in the process of revising my fics and going through them to post on here. This story is complete, so updates should be weekly.


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